Columns

Wed
26
Jun

Did You Know?

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July 4, 1776 marked the formal beginning of the American Revolution and we celebrate it as our national birthday, but the fighting with England was well underway. The famous “Shots Heard ‘Round The World” had already been fired at Lexington Green and Concord Bridge. Earlier Americans had spilled blood from Quebec to Charleston. George Washington was in the field commanding the Continental Army when all hopes of reconciling with England slipped away.

In early June the Second Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia had debated breaking from the Mother Country. It appointed a committee to draft a document that would explain to the world the need for such action. The delegates knew that if they proclaimed independence the English would view them as traitors. They were putting their lives and their honor on the line. The committee wanted it clearly understood why it was necessary to be free of English rule.

Wed
12
Jun

Did You Know?

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June 14, known as Flag Day, is one of our most honored and important patriotic days of our country. Of course, July 4th is more important but read on.

June 14 is the birthday of the American Army. On that date in 1775, the Continental Congress authorized the enlistment of expert riflemen to serve the United States Colonies. The following year, American declared its independence from British rule and just a year later, on June 14, 1777 the Second Continental Congress passed a resolution adopting the flag of the United States. To commemorate that occasion and honor our nation Americans have celebrated June 14 as Flag Day ever since.

 

 

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Wed
12
Jun

Pat’s Chat

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Sunday the 9th was Milton Smith’s 83rd birthday. Terry Gene took him out to eat Friday. I also made him a plate of fudge, which is his favorite. Sunday Jeanette and Milton Smith, Glynda Cawthorn and I went to Center and ate Chinese food.

I’ve been trying to clean out some places that I have stacked back. I got into the utility room Friday. Only worked about 30 minutes and then have to rest.

The Gannon reunion was held Saturday at the Dave Means Building in Grand Cane. They said there were about 50 or so attending. Gyndell Henry and I went by to say hi to everyone. We had been up to the Grand Cane trade days. They had lots of food with different items for sale. Got to see a lot of people.

 

 

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Wed
12
Jun

Hey, Let’s Talk!

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Emily Weinstein was talking about dill, her new favorite herb, in her weekly NYT column “5 Weeknight Dishes”. She says one reason she likes it is because fresh dill is so light and feathery. AND the dill rice dish she tells us about, Shaveed Polo, from Nag Deravian’s Persian cookbook “Bottom of the Pot” is, “(…) the most fragrancemaking, most joy-delivering and most mood- altering pot of rice you’ll ever eat.” She adds that with fava or lima beans this dish turns into Baghali Polo which is supposed to be pretty good, too.

 

 

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Wed
05
Jun

Pat’s Chat

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I’m sorry about my chat. I visited with Elaine Whitten and she got on to me and said she couldn’t keep up with what’s going on. I had gone down to Orange a week ago to sit with Shirley Gordon. She was in the hospital in Beaumont with pneumonia. They kept her in for six days. Her son-in-law, Bill Harvey, had kidney surgery on the 30th in Houston but is doing great. I came home by way of Lufkin to watch West Sabine’s playoff game in softball. They won by a walk-off homer in the bottom of the 7th. Then they got beat in Austin by 6-5 in the finals. Tommy and Lorie Hall’s granddaughter Haley plays for that team. She won MVP for offense. Juana Countryman, my niece, in Port Arthur retired after 32 years of teaching. Her dad, Joe Hughes, went down for her retirement dinner. He also went back to spend Memorial Day with his children.

Stanley had a basketball camp last week with about 30 children participating. They are also now playing summer basketball.

Wed
05
Jun

Hey, Let’s Talk!

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Did you know there is a ‘Buttermilk Snake’ here i n Louisiana? It is non-poisonous is long and slender like a Coachwhip and is light blue with creamy white speckles. I actually have seen one once when I was driving our parish’s backroads. Today’s title isn’t about a new species of bluespeckled catfish but about a new way I read about frying them.

Columnist Korsha Wilson was writing about the Atlanta based chef Todd Richard and his different takes on traditional soul food dishes that his mother cooked when he was a child. He says that she made fried catfish on Fridays and it was in her weekly rotation of dishes. Not unlike our heavily Catholic influenced tradition of Fish on Friday here in Louisiana. Here we have traditions of Friday Fish (or seafood) and of Monday Red Beans and Rice – AND if Todd were a chef over here he would pronounce his name ‘Ree-Charde’.

Wed
29
May

The Business Doctor: Small Towns: It Can Happen To Any Town

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After noticing many shifts in communities around the world some good and some not so good I write this piece to try an divert a collapse in our rural communities. I hope to bring an active awareness to help stop these communities from dying. I will list and discuss in depth many factors but there are a few that deserve mentioning but I will not discuss in depth. Such as several of our large employers have been sold and changed leadership without the community being fully aware of what was in the deal. The lack of love for the community from the private sector’s leadership meaning how often do you see the top CEO’s or Presidents of the largest employers spreading their personal appearance or involvement in the community. Another no mention is one size fits all or outright horrible government policies contributing destruction to small towns and rural areas. Finally the decline and loss of respect of the churches.

Wed
29
May

Hey, Let’s Talk! A “Claire Lake” Fishing Trip

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“Claire Lake” is how we here in DeSoto Parish pronounce “Clear Lake”. It’s right in that same syntax as “Poke Street”, “ByPier”, “Mance-Field” and others. When I first moved back to town a few years back I purposely pronounced “Polk Street” correctly when giving directions and was asked, “Where’s that?”

So, in this column I want to share a fun fishing trip my Dad and I had on our own local Clear Lake. It is a beautiful cypress filled lake full of spanish moss, “Walla-Mocksins”, alligators AND is one of my favorite places in the whole world. Back when I was growing up in the ‘50s and ‘60s it was good for fishing, duck hunting and even water skiing. Created by a dam erected in 1953 on the south end of adjoining Smithport Lake and pre-dating Toledo Bend it was a fun picnic destination and surrounded by camp houses.

Wed
22
May

Hey, Let’s Talk!

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“A name (…), as I might name my cat,” says Sam Sifton who is the Editor of the NYT Cooking section and a pretty funny guy when he was writing about a new dessert he created. It is what he calls a no recipe recipe and sounds real good, in fact I just might try it this weekend.

Most of you know I love to cook and to try new recipes but just am not good at pastry or gravy or desserts. However, Sam’s sounded so simple that I thought I would share it with you and give it a try, too. He starts his column by stating, “I like canned peaches, and if that bums you out, I don’t know what to tell you.” He goes on to talk about mayonnaise sandwiches and other good things that aren’t good for you but ends with, “These are all defensible positions – but I get it.”

 

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Wed
22
May

Did You Know?

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While reading earlier articles and thinking about assembling them into some kinda book form this writer remembered that he had an unfinished portion on ‘Patriotic Questions’. The twelve that were discussed in the earlier article used all of the available space then so be patient as we finish the rest.

14. Name the 13 original states: N.H., Mass, R.I., Conn., N.Y., Penn., Del., Maryland, Virg., N.C., S.C., and Ga.

15. Who was the oldest delegate to sign the Constitution? Benjamin Franklin at 81.

16. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do? Freed the slaves in the Confederate states.

17. Who was Susan B. Anthony? Fought for women’s right to vote.

18. Who did the United States fight in W.W.II? Japan, Germany, and Italy.

19. What was the main concern during the Cold War after W.W.II ended? Communism.

 

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